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Dr Katharine Haynes

Researcher

About

Dr Katharine Haynes

Dr Katharine Haynes is a Senior Research Fellow at the Department of Geography and Planning at Macquarie University, specialising in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. She has considerable experience conducting quantitative and qualitative research with members of the public, emergency management practitioners, professionals and policy makers. Katharine has a special interest in participatory processes and action research as a means for community-based adaptation and risk reduction. Her research interests include: risk communication; the implementation and adaptation of policy and organisational procedure; the science-policy interface; and community and youth-based disaster risk reduction.

Katharine has experience working on a range of hazards and risks within: Philippines; Indonesia; Australia and the United Kingdom. She has worked on a number of projects for the Australian emergency management sector, private organisations and international NGO’S. Recently Katharine has undertaken research for NCCARF, NSW State Emergency Services, NSW Fire and Rescue, Plan International, Sydney Water, Australian Building Code Board, the Bushfire CRC, the Bushfire and Natural Hazard CRC, CSIRO and the Attorney General’s Department.

Katharine appeared as an expert witness for the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission and is the moderator of the UNISDR Prevention Web online forum “Children, Youth and Disasters Network”.

Project leadership

This study has informed community flood warning campaigns, emergency services training and national policy initiatives by investigating the circumstances of all flood fatalities in Australia from 1900 to 2015. It has also compare the impacts of disasters from more than 100 years ago with more recent events.

By exploring the socio-demographic and environmental factors surrounding the 1,859 flood fatalities over 115 years, the research found distinct trends in relation to gender, age, activity and the circumstances of the death. These trends were analysed in the context of changes to emergency management policy and practice over time.

This study commenced in July 2017 and will develop an understanding of the motivations, beliefs, decision making processes and information needs of at-risk groups for flood fatalities. It will cover both age and gender, including an understanding of what a Plan B would look like, how to motivate proactive decision making ahead of the journey, what the current challenges and barriers are to this and what further support and information is needed. The opportunity to undertake a PhD in this project is currently open, with details available at http://www.bnhcrc.com.au/research/resilience-hazards/4097